


this is me trying

by starsmylady



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types, Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan, RIORDAN Rick - Works
Genre: F/F, F/M, Possibly Unrequited Love, Pre-The Titan's Curse (Percy Jackson), zoë & luke fighting over thalia
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-30
Updated: 2020-12-30
Packaged: 2021-03-11 02:35:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,181
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28427913
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/starsmylady/pseuds/starsmylady
Summary: When Thalia came back to life, some unfinished business between Zoë and Luke began to surface.
Relationships: Luke Castellan & Annabeth Chase & Thalia Grace, Luke Castellan/Thalia Grace, Thalia Grace & Zoë Nightshade, Thalia Grace/Zoë Nightshade
Comments: 6
Kudos: 17





	this is me trying

**Author's Note:**

> so this is a short one, but I still hope you would enjoy it!

_  
"I just wanted you to know  
That this is me trying  
At least I'm trying"_

_\- Taylor Swift  
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* * *

  


It was a cold evening within the forest. Luckily, Luke was able to build a small bonfire enough to keep most of his body warm but not too bright to alert potential unwanted passerby. He sat on the cold floor as silver flecks of the moon seep through the little holes uncovered by the leaves of the trees that surround him. Seconds of waiting turned to long dreadful minutes. His patience was running thin—pondering if coming here was even worth it. 

Before he could extinguish the fire, the crackling sound of dried leaves brought his attention to the source. 

“Lieutenant! I thought you wouldn’t have come. You sent me a letter and it said you wanted to see me?” Luke lifted the slightly wrinkled piece of paper to emphasize his point. 

“I ask of you to refrain from calling me, “Lieutenant”. It sickens me to hear it from your filthy mouth,” a black-haired maiden, wearing the traditional hunter clothing, spoke. 

Luke shrugs but then replied, “Well, Zoë Nightshade, what can I offer you?” while brandishing his boyish grin.

“...I am not here to pledge allegiance to you, Castellan,” that made the young lad’s grin turn into a frown. All those wasted time of waiting and efforts on leaving the base as to not get caught was for nothing. If Kronos finds out, he’d surely be in trouble. “If that’s the case then I must leave for I have more pressing matters to attend to—”

“—I came here to talk about Thalia,” going to a halt, he never thought he’d hear that name again. 

Truth be told that wasn’t what Luke was expecting. “And how does that concern me?”

“Because you are the problem.” Luke’s initial response would have been to lash out for something so foolish, but the look on the hunter’s eyes gave it away.

“Oh… I get it now. She must have still refused your offer. Ain’t that such a pity? Maybe, she’d like it better on my side,” he can’t help but smirk. 

“Thalia is better as a hunter than she would ever be in your excuse of an army. If you really cared for her, you’d let her be where she is the safest. She would only die by your hands,” the hunter’s grip on her bow growing tighter at every word. The words struck Luke’s core. _‘Who was she to tell what Thalia thinks? I was the one who knew her the longest’._

“And you care for her more than what you need to,” Luke exclaimed in spite that surprised him. Emotions were what he did not need right now. He saw the slight flinch in Zoë’s eyes and this calmed himself. _‘So I’m not the only one then’_ , he thought to himself. “The reason you want her to be a hunter is so she would be by your side. Am I not right?”

Zoë replied, “I know you’ve turned crazy siding with the titans but I didn’t know it has made you speak nonsense as well.” Anyone would have been taken aback by the hunter’s stoic expression but Luke was good at observing people that he spotted the slight furrow on her brows. _‘She is irritated. Good’_

“Nonsense? It is not me who bears feelings for another knowing full well it goes against your oath. It is you that bear nonsensical feelings, Nightshade.” If he learned anything of value, it would be to hit the place where it hurts the most—the source, and that was what he plans to do to make things right. He’d do that with the person he trusted the most. 

“You failed her the first time and you will again. She still believes you could change but you wouldn’t. Your ego won’t let you.” 

The night surrounding them felt more chilly. The coldness dripping onto their clothes like tiny spikes. Luke got his knife out which alarmed the hunter to draw her bow at him. Calmly, Luke pointed at the pile of sticks next to him signaling that he was planning to cut them to add to the slowly dying bonfire.

“Is that the only thing you could blabber about? I would help change the world for those who were forgotten and Thalia would understand that. We are family after all. You? Weren’t you abandoned by yours?” The question left the hunter stricken for a moment. Zoë is not letting this blonde Son of Hermes get into her head.

“Atlas is planning something with you. You hate the gods so dearly but settle for the titans,” she scoffed. It was so typical of heroes; too prideful yet blind. “I shall give you a warning, whatever you are planning would not end well in your favor, Castellan.” 

“If this meeting was only for Thalia then let this discussion be over. This is a waste of time.” 

“Remember my words. You’ll need it,” the hunter stood up and left into the shadows of the trees.

  


* * *

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"Luke…" Thalia laughs nervously, not knowing where she's going with this. "Have you ever thought about what life would be if the gods weren’t to exist?" They were both resting in a public park while guarding Annabeth to her sleep._

_“I bet we’d be in school right now. Live normal lives,” —the life we deserved, Luke wanted to add but decided to not do so. The sun was about to set which means they have a few minutes left before they had to pack and go on a run again. “You’d probably scare a lot of your admirers,” he added jokingly which earned him a jab on his right arm and a curse from Thalia._

_“As much as I’d want that life, I wouldn’t have met you and Annie under normal circumstances,” Thalia laced her fingers on Luke’s own, sharing each other’s warmth by mere touch._

_They have built a connection from years of running, fighting, and hiding. Where all hope was lost only to be found again in each other’s eyes. Luke cannot afford to lose this. “I’d find you. I won’t let us not meet,” he finally replied._

_“What are you talking about? You wouldn’t even know me,” Thalia wore a huge grin. It was beautiful to see her like this. Luke promised to himself to make her happy just to see that smile again._

_“I have my ways and I know we’d always be together. Family, right?” their hold tightens._

_“Family,” and both basked at the remaining light from the sunset.  
_  


* * *

  


Luke was taken aback by the sudden whispers inside his head. _Where are you?_

“Fuck.” His brothers must have found him missing which alerted the titan Kronos. Looking at the crumpled paper on the palm of his hand, reminded by the conversation he had with the Hunter a while ago, he found a new resolve.

To make things right, _**for family.**_ He then tossed the letter to the fire as its edges caught burning and went back to base with a new plan at hand.

**Author's Note:**

> comments are appreciated and thank you for taking the time to read this! it means a lot ^v^
> 
> also, go follow me on twitter: @niqhtshcde


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